Gun Trade World - January 2023

usiness
“The American
Southwest has one
of the most active
competitive shooting
sectors in the US.”
DOING BUSINESS WITH… SOUTHWESTErn usa
Dove in Arizona
It’s good to be back in
the outdoors, and there’s
no better way to kick off
Arizona’s hunting seasons
than by getting together with
family and friends for some
fast-action wingshooting for
doves. The popular 15-day
season gets underway Sept. 1.
Many festivities are
planned in conjunction
with dove season, such as
the World Championship
Dove Cookoff in Yuma and
a mentored youth hunt —
a long time tradition - at
Robbins Butte Wildlife
Area near Buckeye.
Other agriculture-based
communities, which are
magnets for doves, also will
be hosting a variety of fun
activities.
Did you know that
mourning doves are the
most numerous, widespread
game bird in North America?
They are prolific breeders
with an average life span
of 1-2 years. Dove hunting
seasons are regulated
and maintain doves as a
sustainable wildlife resource.
Dove hunters are a valuable
conservation tool.
and Easton on the archery
side, they’re out of Utah
and Silencerco, leader in
suppressors, are based in
Utah. Suppressors have grown
considerable the past few
years, both for recreational
shooting and hunting.
The Arizona Game and
Fish Department follows
a multi-tiered process for
setting hunting season
structures, hunting season
dates, hunt permit allocations,
and other controlling
elements for regulating
hunting of game animals.
The Department’s big
and small game programs
are responsible for this
task and their mission is to
protect and manage game
wildlife populations and
their habitats to maintain
the natural diversity of
Arizona, and to provide game
wildlife-oriented recreation
opportunities for present
and future generations.
This is done by using
science-based methods to
assure wildlife is managed
within the biological
limits of each species,
management strategies are
also developed to consider
social acceptability and
responsibilities.
Arizona’s hunting laws
Although not the whole of
Southwestern United States,
the State of Arizona can act
as a very good case study for
the region as a whole, here we
look at the laws on hunting in
the State.
Laws, rules and regulations
concerning hunting are
complex and varied. There
are state and federal laws
encoded by state and federal
legislation. In addition to
laws, the Arizona Game and
Fish Commission enacts rules
and orders to implement
those laws. The laws, rules
and orders provide guidance
to hunters about when,
where, and how they can take
wildlife, and how much of
each species can be taken.
The Arizona Game and
Fish Commission issues 29
orders for different species.
Each order is reviewed and
potentially revised every year
or two by the Commission,
based on science-based
recommendations from
wildlife managers. These
29 orders create a complex,
dynamic set of regulations
for hunters to follow. But the
system must be managed this
way in order for managers to
be agile enough to respond to
the suite of factors affecting
wildlife on an annual basis.
It is the responsibility of
the hunter to help make the
regulations, understand and
follow the regulations, as well
as help enforce them.
Where can you find the
rules governing hunting
in Arizona?
Most Arizona Game and Fish
laws and rules concerning
hunting (and fishing) are
contained in the Arizona
Revised Statutes (Title 17)
and in Arizona Administrative
Rules (Title 12). In some
cases, hunting matters are
under federal jurisdiction
(for example, species under
the Migratory Bird Treaty
Act, such as waterfowl), with
details available in the Code of
Federal Regulations, etc.
Arizona Hunting and
Trapping Regulations are
published frequently and
contain information such as
hunt season dates, methods
of take, hunt units, limits,
tag application deadlines
and draw details, restrictions,
recommendations, and more.
The regulations are available at
Arizona Game and Fish offices
or authourised hunting/fishing
license dealers, or they can be
downloaded.
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